Conveyor-magazine adapted for being interposed between a folding machine and stations where subsequent operations are effected

ABSTRACT

At the outlet of a folding machine, there is positioned a magazine conveyor apparatus for receiving &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;packages&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; of stacked material from the folding machine to hold such packages and selectively deliver the same for subsequent operations on the packages. The magazine conveyor apparatus comprises a plurality of magazine conveyor belts arranged one above the other and pivotal conveyor belts at opposite ends of the apparatus respectively for delivering a package to a selected magazine conveyor belt and removing a package from a selected belt.

United States Patent 1 Stumpf 1 May 22, 1973 [54] CONVEYOR-MAGAZINEADAPTED FOR BEING INTERPOSED BETWEEN A FOLDING MACHINE AND STATIONSWHERE SUBSEQUENT OPERATIONS ARE EFFECTED [76] Inventor: Giinter Stumpf,7421 Mehrstetten,

Kreis Munsingen, Germany 22 Filed: July 19, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 163,685

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 21, 1970 Germany ..P 20 41686.8

[52] US. Cl. ..l98/20 T [51] Int. Cl ..B65g 47/00 [58] Field of Search..l98/20 T [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Richter ..198/20T 2,724,486 11/1955 Hatch et al 198/20 T X 644,520 2/1900 Jones 959,9965/1910 Cole ..198/20 T X Primary ExaminerEvon C. Blunk AssistantExaminerl-Iadd Lane Attorney-Eric H. Waters et al.

[57] ABSTRACT At the outlet of a folding machine, there is positioned amagazine conveyor apparatus for receiving packages of stacked materialfrom the folding machine to hold such packages and selectively deliverthe same for subsequent operations on the packages. The magazineconveyor apparatus comprises a plurality of magazine conveyor beltsarranged one above the other and pivotal conveyor belts at opposite endsof the apparatus respectively for delivering a package to a selectedmagazine conveyor belt and removing a package from a selected belt.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented May 22, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 1EliEiHi Patented May 22,1973

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CONVEYOR-MAGAZINE ADAPTED FOR BEING INTERPOSEI) BETWEENA FOLDING MACHINE AND STATIONS WHERE SUBSEQUENT OPERATIONS ARE EFFECTEDBRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In present cloth folding machines, thesequence of operations is such that the folding of a layer packagerequires substantially less time than the subsequent marking, cuttingout, stamping, etc., whereas the waiting time necessarily resultingtherefrom is too short to allow the operator of the folding machine tooccupy himself profitably with some other task.

It is an object of the invention to provide a conveying or transportmagazine which makes it possible to stack the layer package" produced bya folding machine for a relatively short period of time, before it isfed for further processing, so that a buffer zone is established betweenthe folding operation and further processing operations.

Such a conveying magazine makes it possible to produce in advance andstack a plurality of cloth or fabric layers, so that during the timewhich is now available, the operator of the folding machine may effectfill-in operations, such as, for example, bringing cloth rolls fromstorage to the folding machine, auxiliary work during cutting, etc.

The problem to which the invention is addressed is solved by thearrangement wherein the conveying magazine includes a plurality ofmagazine conveyor belts arranged in spaced relationship one below theother in a framework with a pivotal conveyor belt attached at each endof the framework, one thereof serving for the selective feeding andstacking of cloth layer packages, for example directly from the conveyorbelt of a folding machine, onto one of the magazine belts, whereas theother pivotal conveyor belt serves for the selective delivery of thestacked cloth layer packages to another device, for example to a tablefor further processing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of aconveying magazine according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view which shows the front portion of the conveyingmagazine; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a detail of the point of transition fromthe pivoting belt to the magazine belt.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows a conveying and storing mechanism Cfor receiving packages of material produced in a folding machine. At theleft of the conveying mechanism C in FIG. 1 there is seen, inchain-dotted lines, a conveyor device 38 on which are transported thelayers of material or packages produced by the folding machine. On theright-hand side of FIG. 1 there is shown in chain-dotted lines aconveyor device 39 for transporting the packages to further-processingstations for effecting marking, cutting, stamping operations and thelike, on the packages.

The conveying magazine C comprises at least three conveyor belts l, 2and 3 which are arranged one above the other with a spacing greater thanthe maximum height of the package. The conveyor belts travel on tables4, 5 and 6 coated with a material having a low coefficient of friction.In the present case, the conveyor belts are strip conveyor belts, i.e.the total width of the belt is constituted by a plurality of narrow beltstrips disposed side-by-side in predetermined spaced relationship. Thesubdivision permits minimum drum diameters and advantageous design ofthe critical transition points from one belt to another. Fundamentally,however, it is also possible to use standard, correspondingly widebelts.

The framework 7 of the conveying magazine is prolonged beyond thehorizontally extending belts proper, so as to constitute bearingsupports for two short pivotal or rocking belts 8 and 9 arranged at theends of the magazine. The upper run of each of the pivotal belts 8 and 9corresponds to the level of the conveyor units 38, 39 and the belts 8and 9 are pivotal so that their inner ends are adjustable to the levelof the belts 1, 2 or 3 as desired in each particular case.

The shafts of the outer drums l0 and l 1 of the pivotal belts 8 and 9bear, via bearing pedestals l2 and 13, on the framework and servesimultaneously as bearing points for bell crank levers 14 and 15arranged on both sides of the pivoting belts and which carry pivotaldrums 16 or 17 at one end and, at the other end, in each case chains orcables 18 and 18 by which the pivotal belts may be angularly rocked tothe level of the magazine belt 1, 2, or 3 as desired in each particularcase. The chains or cables 18, 18' travel from the bell crank levers tothe center of the conveying magazine, where they are wound on a drum orsprocket wheel 19 so that rotation of the drum or sprocket wheel 19results in winding-off or winding-on of the chains 18, 18' which isuniform towards both sides, whereby the two pivotal belts are adjustedin the same sense or direction. The rotation of the drum is effected bymeans of a hand crank 20 via a geared-down chain drive 21, but it couldalso be effected by motor means.

The drive of belt 8 is achieved by a motor 22. A motor 23 serves for thedrive of pivotal belt 9 and also simultaneously for the magazine beltsl, 2, and 3. For the latter purpose, an electromagnetic clutch 24 isassociated with each magazine belt. All these clutches areinterconnected by a chain 25 driven by a chain 26 from the motor 23. Asprocket wheel associated with each clutch is connected, via a chain 27,with a sprocket wheel on each of the three belt drums 28, so that whenthe motor 23 is operative in each particular case only that magazinebelt is driven whose electromagnetic clutch has been actuated. Themotors may be variablespeed motors for synchronizing the beltvolocities, or they may be a sequentially connected speed transmission.

The mode of operation is such that, by means of the hand crank 20, forexample in accordance with a marking or detent position, the pivotalbelts 8 and 9 are adjusted to face the desired magazine belt, wherebysimultaneously, via a correspondingly arranged switch (not shown), theelectromagnetic clutch of the associated magazine belt is put intoengagement. After switching on the installation, a layer package maythen be introduced into the magazine or removed therefrom. All theremaining magazine belts are at a standstill, since they are separatedfrom the drive by their disengaged electromagnetic clutches.

FIG. 1 shows the two lower magazine belts 5 and 6 carrying respectivepackages 28 and 29, whereas a package 30 from the table of the foldingmachine is conveyed, via the pivotal belt 8 (in its uppermost tiltedposition) to the magazine belt 1. A limit switch (not shown) attached atthe right-hand end of the magazine belt switches off the drive when thepackage" extendsover its entire length on the magazine belt.Corresponding limit switches are provided also in association with theremaining magazine belts. In order to be able to transport the conveyingmagazine C to other cutting lines, the framework is provided with aplurality of adjustable pivoting or rocking rollers 31.

Due to the transportable construction of the magazine C, it becomespossible to satisfy a short-notice demand for additional quantities ofcut-out elements of the same type of cloth by bringing the magazine toanother cutting line, so that at least for a short period of time thepackages of one folding machine and one type of cloth may be processedon a plurality of cutting lines. Hitherto, in such cases it wasnecessary to manually transport the corresponding packages" and theresult of this was displacements in the layers of the package.

FIG. 2 shows the front portion of the device and principally the beltsin the form of strip conveyor belts 32 (only four thereof being shown).

FIG. 3 shows in detail the transition point from the pivotal belt to amagazine belt, both belts being constituted as strip conveyor belts. Thebelt drum l6 and the belt drum 33 are machined to a smaller diameterbetween the individual belt strips 32. Secured at the two bearing pointsof the belt drum 16 is an angle strip 34 whose length corresponds tothat of the drum and which is bent in such manner that longer tongues 35engage forwardly into the reduced diameter portions of the belt drum l6and shorter tongues 36 bent downwardly to a lower level are in closelyspaced relationship to the bearing surface of the drum 16. In this way,during the conveying of a package, the lowermost cloth layers thereofwill not be pulled downwardly with the belt. The angled strip 34 travelswith the pivotal belt into the operational positions adjacent each belt1, 2, 3 as can best be seen in FIG. 1 at the left side thereof. A strip37 constructed in the same manner as strip 34 is secured to each of thethree drums 33 of the magazine belts. However, in order to exlude anypossibility of the strip 34 from impinging against the strips 37 of themagazine belts and nevertheless to keep the two opposite edges of theseplates in the closest possible spaced relationship, as FIG. 1 shows, theshafts and therewith also the plates 37 of the belt drums 33 of themagazine belt are arranged on an arc of a circle. Similar strips areprovided between the magazine belt and the right-hand pivotal belt 9.

What is claimed is:

1. A conveying magazine comprising a plurality of magazine conveyorbelts arranged in spaced relationship one above the other and havingopposite aligned ends, a pivotal conveyor belt at each of said ends ofthe magazine belts for selectively being aligned with said magazinebelts, one pivotal conveyor belt serving for the selective delivery ofmaterial to the magazine belts, whereas the other pivotal belt servesfor the selective delivery of the material for the magazine belts, eachsaid pivotal conveyor belt comprising a drive drum, a shaft for saiddrive drum, a lever means coupled to said shaft and pivotal thereabout,a second drum connected to said lever means to be pivoted therewith, anda belt wound on said drums, a flexible connector attached to said levermeans, and means acting on the flexible connectors of both pivotal beltsto move the same into alignment with a selected magazine conveyor belt.

2. A conveying magazine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said magazineconveyor belts are spaced one above the other by a distance exceedingthe maximum height of the material.

3. A conveying magazine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means actingon the flexible connectors is disposed midway between the pivotal beltsand includes a common drum means on which said connectors can beconjointly wound and unwound.

4. A conveying magazine as claimed in claim 1 comprising one drive motorfor said one pivotal conveyor belt and a second drive motor for theother pivotal conveyor belt and also for the plurality of magazineconveyor belts.

5. A conveying magazine as claimed in claim 4 comprising clutch means inthe drive from the second drive motor to each of the magazine conveyorbelts.

6. A conveying magazine comprising a plurality of magazine conveyorbelts arranged in spaced relationship one above the other and havingopposite aligned ends, a pivotal conveyor belt at each of said ends ofthe magazine belts for selectively being aligned with said magazinebelts, one pivotal conveyor belt serving for the selective delivery ofmaterial to the magazine belts, whereas the other pivotal belt servesfor the selective delivery of the material from the magazine belts, saidpivotal belts and the magazine conveyor belts comprising a plurality ofnarrow belt strips disposed side-byside with predetermined spacing, eachsaid belt passing on a drum at opposite ends thereof, said drums havingsections of smaller diameter between said individual belt strips, and astrip element secured to each of the pivotal belts and to the drums ofthe magazine conveyor belts, said strip elements extending the entirelength of the drums of the respective belts and serving to providesmooth transfer of material from one belt to another, said stripelements being of angle shape and including one leg with long tongueportions extending in the smaller diameter sections of the associateddrum and shorter tongue portions bent further downwardly and extendingproximate the larger diameter sections of the same drum.

7. A conveying magazine as claimed in claim 6 comprising a table withsurfaces coated with a material having a low coefficient of friction,said magazine conveyor belts traveling on said surfaces of the table.

1. A conveying magazine comprising a plurality of magazine conveyorbelts arranged in spaced relationship one above the other and havingopposite aligned ends, a pivotal conveyor belt at each of said ends ofthe magazine belts for selectively being aligned with said magazinebelts, one pivotal conveyor belt serving for the selective delivery ofmaterial to the magazine belts, whereas the other pivotal belt servesfor the selective delivery of the material for the magazine belts, eachsaid pivotal conveyor belt comprising a drive drum, a shaft for saiddrive drum, a lever means coupled to said shaft and pivotal thereabout,a second drum connected to said lever means to be pivoted therewith, anda belt wound on said drums, a flexible connector attached to said levermeans, and means acting on the flexible connectors of both pivotal beltsto move the same into alignment with a selected magazine conveyor belt.2. A conveying magazine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said magazineconveyor belts are spaced one above the other by a distance exceedingthe maximum height of the material.
 3. A conveying magazine as claimedin claim 1 wherein said means acting on the flexible connectors isdisposed midway between the pivotal belts and includes a common drummeans on which said connectors can be conjointly wound and unwound.
 4. Aconveying magazine as claimed in claim 1 comprising one drive motor forsaid one pivotal conveyor belt and a second drive motor for the otherpivotal conveyor belt and also for the plurality of Magazine conveyorbelts.
 5. A conveying magazine as claimed in claim 4 comprising clutchmeans in the drive from the second drive motor to each of the magazineconveyor belts.
 6. A conveying magazine comprising a plurality ofmagazine conveyor belts arranged in spaced relationship one above theother and having opposite aligned ends, a pivotal conveyor belt at eachof said ends of the magazine belts for selectively being aligned withsaid magazine belts, one pivotal conveyor belt serving for the selectivedelivery of material to the magazine belts, whereas the other pivotalbelt serves for the selective delivery of the material from the magazinebelts, said pivotal belts and the magazine conveyor belts comprising aplurality of narrow belt strips disposed side-by-side with predeterminedspacing, each said belt passing on a drum at opposite ends thereof, saiddrums having sections of smaller diameter between said individual beltstrips, and a strip element secured to each of the pivotal belts and tothe drums of the magazine conveyor belts, said strip elements extendingthe entire length of the drums of the respective belts and serving toprovide smooth transfer of material from one belt to another, said stripelements being of angle shape and including one leg with long tongueportions extending in the smaller diameter sections of the associateddrum and shorter tongue portions bent further downwardly and extendingproximate the larger diameter sections of the same drum.
 7. A conveyingmagazine as claimed in claim 6 comprising a table with surfaces coatedwith a material having a low coefficient of friction, said magazineconveyor belts traveling on said surfaces of the table.